Happy Days in Fairy Tail?
by Stormfoedt
Summary: What does it mean to be part of a guild, and with guild I mean the kind where mages gather in order to take missions in return for money. Fairy Tail for instance. I was alone before one of the biggest idiots I would ever come to meet brought me to a guild like no other. A guild known for its camaraderie and its extraordinary destructive tendencies. It all began.. in Hargeon.
1. Chapter 1

***Well, my patience was growing thin so I decided to translate this singular chapter that I earlier released in the language that very few of this world understand. ENglish is known as a world language, so I guess more people will hold the means to understand the words, if not the general content of this story. My other story will remain open, of course. Why wouldn't it be? Of course, this was a mere attempt to write something that wasn't plain ol' English. Since it was an attempt it ended up being somewhat of a really depressive one shot that suddenly had a depressing second chapter I will start translating right away lest you be stuck with the horrendous translation provided by Google Translate.

I do not own Fairy Tail, nor its character or its storyline. But you already knew that. Here we go...***

What does it mean to be part of a guild, and with guild I mean the kind where mages gather in order to take missions in return for money. Fairy Tail for instance. Would being a member only mean to bear the guild mark that signified the membership? Perhaps would it mean to be accountable for the honor of the guild you're a part of?

Laxus Dreyar would most likely agree to that last statement. The guilds honor lays on the shoulders of its members. Natsu Dragneel would probably agree as well. I can understand the meaning behind such a statement. Like Makarov would've said, a guild IS its members. Around here somewhere would be the place where the two Dragon Slayers would stop following the same logic, perhaps because Laxus would've stopped around the part regarding the honor. Natsu, on the other hand would've continued. One persons honor is everyones honor. One persons happiness is everyones happiness. One persons sorrow is everyones sorrow. We are family in Fairy Tail. A family where everyone stands for one, and one stands for everyone. A cliche, you say. Fairy Tail, says I.

I was alone before one of the biggest idiots I would ever come to meet brought me to a guild like no other. A guild known for its camaraderie and its extraordinary destructive tendencies. Hargeon was the name of the town where we met. A town where I had found a single key that I quickly added to my collection of keys kept on the keyring attached to my belt. Natsu had been the poor bastard that just happened to become the victim of a flock of raging women that didn't take it kindly when he didn't behave appropriately around their big idol that called himself Salamander.

The poor guy had quite the appetite too, as it turned out when I volunteered to treat him for lunch. Pure coincidence, really. At the time I didn't even know who the guy was. How could I know that this strange boy would turn out to be the real Salamander, a magician who mastered a type of magic few had ever seen the likes of. A type of magic strong enough to slay dragons.

One stranded ship and a few burning blocks later, and I got dragged off by this strange boy. That was how I became a member of Fairy Tail. The emblem tattooed on my hand proved my membership. Oh, the pride I felt upon me when Mirajane, the guilds barmaid and poster girl gave me the guild mark I'd been drooling over for so long. Never again would my life be calm or boring again.

* * *

Well. That was what I'd thought at the time. Fair enough, it did take some time before I was able to relax in a building where chairs, tables and people flew through the air in every direction pretty much around the clock as new fights kept recurring. To be honest I didn't really relax properly yet, especially since only hours had passed since my first encounter with the rest of the guild I now was a part of.

"Yo." a voice called from behind, and I turned to see Gray walking towards me, unconsciously stripping at the moment. At least he wasn't naked. Yet. He'd been naked shortly after out first encounter, and had been stupid enough to ask me if he could borrow my clothes to cover himself up.

"What's up?" he asked as he sat down on a barstool next to mine. Either he chose to ignore my skeptical look, or perhaps he simply didn't catch up on it.

"Not much. I'm bored." I replied, chose to answer him rather than simply walk away. Except from the potential permanent damage inflicted on my mind due to his display of nakedness earlier he had done nothing wrong. And why I was bored? I knew very well that I had stuff I needed to get out of the way before the night snuck up on me. Find a place to live. Natsu had by all means volunteered to let me live with him. Shivers went up my spine by the mere thought of it. No. A lady shouldn't live with a man without the two of them being married. Most certainly not alone. Furthermore, I had a feeling the boy with the white scarf might accidentally off me while I slept. So I needed a place. BEFORE night fell in Magnolia.

The problem was that I really didn't feel like taking up such a tiresome task. A place to live. I owned no money. That would be why I had ended up here, thinking philosophical thoughts, and now speaking to the guilds own personal stripper. This day that had started so brilliantly positive now headed for the gutters. It seemed to be following the sun on its path towards the horizon.

"Aha. I would've thought you'd follow flame brain when he left to rescue Macao." Gray said then, and another chill went up my spine as the memories resurfaced due to his reminder.

"I DID go with him. We returned about an hour ago. I have no clue as to where Natsu went after that." I answered, and grudgingly had to admit that I didn't have the faintest idea what went on inside the brain of that boy. Firstly, as the two of us entered the Fairy Tail guildhall together he had swiftly left my side to literally throw himself into another fight. He'd ignored me when I tried showing off my new guild mark. Shortly after he left the building with a determined glare after hearing a small boy speaking loudly with Master about his dad, Macao, that had been missing for a week.

Mirajane, Mira for short, told me that Natsu didn't have a dad and that he therefore most likely saw himself in the boy, this probably being the reason why he left to go save the kids father. Father issues, huh... I could relate to that, so I joined the boy wearing the white scarf. Why not? It might be interesting.

We, or rather Natsu, eventually managed to save the mage that had been taken over by a Vulcan. Even though he earlier had ignored me, Natsu protected me and even called me family. To be part of a family, that would be something I hadn't experienced in quite a while. So I though I finally had accomplished acceptance despite my lacking performance under the the rescue mission. I quickly realized that I was miles behind the Dragon Slayer both when it came to courage and strength. But again I was ignored after our return to the guild. Natsu left for the gods knew where, and I remained here, confused by his ever changing attitude.

"Oh. Now when you mention it, Macao did turn up not long ago..." after saying that, upon realizing that I wasn't exactly in the talkative corner at the moment, Gray left. I remained seated, now alone. Even though I wasn't in the mood for any longer conversations I still felt the sinking feeling in my stomach as I watched the retreating back of the only one to approach me this night. I didn't want to be left alone. It might seem that way with my diverging demeanor, but... Not that it mattered much. Even though I hated it, being alone was something I was used. Therefore I moved my gaze onto the table once more and continued the train of thoughts from earlier.

* * *

What did it mean to be a part of a guild. Did it revolve around honor? Camaraderie? According to Fairy Tail Family was the key word that best described what it meant to be a member of a guild. At least according to the magazine Sorcerers Weekly. Family... I didn't have much experience when it came to that word. At least I didn't hope I did. Because if family was what I used to have with HIM, then.. then I had nothing to do here. The thought of HIM made me bow my head further, so low that my forehead touched the wood on the surface of the bar counter I still sat by.

"Look, the sunset!" someone yelled as the door into the guild opened and revealed what by the sound of it would be the sinking sun. This day that had started out so brilliant had ended as dark as the night that soon would fall over the town of Magnolia. The thought of HIM had that effect. And I STILL hadn't found a place to live.

***I know. Kind of pitiful, but I've done worse. I expected around ten readers on my other story, it being four at the moment. Does it make sense? Sort of, I think, just, you know, depressing. Anyways, here you go, those who might've wondered briefly what on earth I was writing in "Glade Dager i Fairy Tail?". Yes. This is it***


	2. Chapter 2

***I was bored, and suddenly found myself writing this. Odd how those things work at times. I do not own Fairy Tail, nor its characters or its storyline***

What am I doing here? Why did I come here? I am one of those who run. One of those who choose to flee from my problems rather than confronting them. So what am I doing here, in a guild full of people that don't know any other way other than direct confrontation?

It was late. When the guildhall slowly but surely became emptier as people started to leave I got up from my seat by the bar, left without uttering a word. What did I do here? If HE found me I would be as good as doomed. But his smile had been so alluring, had promised me so much. The place this boy came from HAD to be a cheery place, right, and I had longed to be a part of Fairy Tail for a long time. All the articles, all the pictures. Sorcerers Weekly had been my contemporary escape from all the things that didn't work out for me in life. Like HIM, that didn't even want to speak with me lest it be about possible marriage proposals or another ball he wanted me to attend.

How would one go about to gain friends? What did it MEAN to be a friend? I'd joined Natsu on the quest to save Macao because I hoped such an action would gain me a friend. Instead I got kidnapped and he had ended up having to people to rescue instead of one. But he called me family. It had to count for something, right? If family was what it was described as in the children's books I used to love as a child, that is. Family protect each other, and stick together.

* * *

The starts shone brightly today. I stood outside the guildhall, looked up at the stars while the ocean stretched endlessly ahead. I breathed out, let a smile play at the edge of my mouth while I enjoyed the small moment of silence, a silence that allowed the illusion of everything being like in the Fairy Tales. Good. Happily ever after.

"Lucy?" I turned towards the voice, and saw Mira looking at me with questioning eyes. Understandable. I smiled, because I had learned to smile as soon as I was old enough to attend social events. It was important to smile.

"Mira? What is it?" I asked while I kept my smile up, let my eyes sparkle in the mask of innocent joy. Natsu didn't have a father. After a brief investigation I found out that most people in this guild were here because they had no other family. Fairy Tail was all some of them had. Who was I to complain, since I HAD a palce to go back to. A place I didn't wish to return to ever again, granted, but it existed none the less. What did I do here again? I had no idea.

"What are you doing out here in the cold?" the beautiful woman asked with that mild voice of hers, and I looked at the sky again.

"I'm stargazing. Mom and I does it all the time when we meet," I replied. Not a lie. I often used to sit by her and stare at the neverending starry carpet.

"You mother?"

"Mhm. I guess I should hurry home before she gets worried," I started walking as I said it, stopped when I sensed something dark heading in my direction. I turned, and there stood Mira. She hadn't moved. Just my imagination, perhaps?

"Where do you live?" she asked. Well, if she absolutely needed a name to refer to...

"Just outside Acalypha. If I hurry up I should be able to make the night train. Ah, it's really getting quite.." I started my frantic speech and took a step back from the smiling woman that at the moment was a bit.. scary?

"Lucy?" Mira interrupted me before I could make my escape, to Acalypha of all places.

"Hm?" I said in a questioning voice. Was it Mirajane that was giving off that dark aura?

"You're lying," she said in a sugar sweet voice, and grabbed my arm, dragged me into the guildhall again. What? How..? And why did all my instinct tell me I shouldn't utter any more lies if I wished to keep my life?

* * *

"Natsu?" asked the barmaid as she hauled me in between tables, chairs and people towards the bar where mentioned boy at the moment was in the middle of a meal. He looked up, his mouth full of food, and I think I saw him pale when he saw the expression of my current captor.

"After you've finished eating, could you be so kind and bring Lucy home with you?" she asked, and the boy with the scarf nodded frantically, food debris flying in all direction. I was situated in a chair right next to him, in the middle of the danger zone of flying food. Again. Hadn't it been enough with that one time when I treated him in Hargeon? THe boy with the scarf owned no manners. His cat wasn't much better. The only thing the blue feline had said to me thus far was that I was weird, and mean when I tried protesting on the first accusation. Happy now sat and stared at me in utter silence while his partner finished his meal. Upon leaving the now empty plate his black eyes once more landed on me, filled with curiosity. I chose to keep my mouth shut, at least while the white haired barmaid remained within earshot. Perhaps would she see through my lies once again.

Instead I chose to think about what I could do to get out of this situation. Following Natsu home was unacceptable. No thank you. I'd rather sleep outside. If a whole lie didn't work, I'd go for a half truth. That should work.

* * *

We exited the guildhall together, Natsu finally done with his ginormous, meal, now full and content and seemingly completely at ease as he walked beside me, his hands resting behind his head. This boy had no parents, yet he still looked like one of the cheeriest individuals I'd ever met in my entire life. Was all that a lie, or had he really allowed Fairy Tail to take up the role as his family completely? But he WAS looking for his father, Igneel. He'd been looking for his father when he met me. A real dragon. I'd never even seen a real dragon before, and this boy had grown up with one.

"What did you do to bring forward the demon within Mira?" asked Natsu, dragged me out of my endless musings.

"Hm? Demon?" I asked, stopped before we could make it too far from the train station. Natsu didn't seem to notice, instead raised an eyebrow at me while he subconsciously stopped too.

"You know, Mira can be SCARY if she's mad. You're better off keeping her happy," he said instead of explaining what he meant with demon, but I kind of understood it none the less. The dark aura. So it hadn't been my imagination after all.

"Hm." I replied as I absentmindedly started walking again, towards the train station this time, held his gaze that still didn't seem to notice that we no longer were heading in what I assumed to be the direction of his home. I am one of those who run. One of those that doesn't wish to stop for too long in order to see if the past brings something with it. I am one of those who run. My place probably wasn't here, with these people who in all likelihood would give a lot to see their past in the eyes, mayhap even go back to that which was. WHat am I doing here?

"I'll remember that next time," I replied, managed to make another one of those bright smiles to light up my face. He didn't have to be impressed by the gesture. He only needed to see it as a sign of my well being. I stopped, stretched my arms as I broke eye contact in order to make him realize where we were. The feline was sitting on his head, a blue contrast to all the pink. He had remained silent for the whole walk, Happy. Still thought himself too good to talk to me. Maybe did he, like Mirajane, hold the ability to see though the mask. Nah. There probably was some banal reason behind his silence, like for example the fact that I didn't introduce him to Aquarius as I summoned her under the episode with the fake Salamander.

"Thank you for accompanying me to the train station! Ah, there's my train too, just in time! I promise I'll greet Mama from you," I said and he looked genuinely confused.

"What? Mama? Mira told me to.."

"I know what Mira told you, but Mama is waiting. She's in Acalypha at the moment and I don't want to be too late. It's been a while since I saw her last."

"Mama?" he continued, still confused.

"Mhm, Mama, as in my mother. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I didn't wait for him to realize he'd been conned, boarded the train and waved before I was out of sight. Natsu Dragneel didn't handle transport, be it trains, boats, cars or pretty much anything that moved. Except from Happy, the flying cat. A strange boy, Natsu.

* * *

I exited the train in Acalypha. The fact that I was heading here hadn't been a lie. That Mama was waiting was also the truth, and I really hadn't been seeing her for quite some time. Only letters. A lot of letters, gathered in a small chest I always kept with me.

"Hello, Mama." I greeted as I found her head stone in the dark after breaking into the cemetery in this small village. Not that breaking an entrance had been all that challenging, because even though the gate remained closed the stony fence that surrounded the place wasn't more than around one and a half meters tall, give or take a few centimeters. There was no answer. Of course not. A rock couldn't talk.

Well, I have quite a lot to tell you today. I decided to join a guild. I know, I know, I've said that plenty of times, but this time it's for real. You're never going to guess which guild I've..." I sat down and leaned against the head stone as I cheerily told about Hargeon, Fairy Tail and my adventure at Mr. Hakobe. It was cold, it was dark and I currently found myself in the middle of a cemetery, but it didn't matter at all. If nothing else the gloomy atmosphere helped to keep me awake.

They arrived at last, however, the tears. They always came before I fell asleep, treacherous but quiet. Because I had to be quiet in order to keep anyone from hearing me. It had been like that for a very long time. It would continue being that way too, more likely than not. I am one of those who run, run and run because I fear what I'm running from. An idiot wearing a white scarf made me forget for a brief moment, and before I knew it I had joined the guild Fairy Tail. And even though I still couldn't see some of them in the eyes, I knew that I would take the train back there in the morning.

***Depressing yo say? I believe so, yes. Just some small drabbles filled with what ifs and whatnot. This doesn't make any sense, you say? Neither was it meant to***


	3. Chapter 3

I missed the train. Yes. YES, I missed the train going from Acalypha. Okay, so I didn't TECHNICALLY miss it, but I woke up and arrived at the train station two hours before the next train even arrived, so I decided to walk. Hence why I at the moment balanced on the railway, balancing since that particular activity always had worked as a distraction to get my mind off things. So what if I then ended up seeing less of my green surroundings or the blue sky. What did I care?

The sky wasn't blue today either. Churning clouds would've met me had I raised my gaze from the tracks. Churning clouds that darkened the day and promised lots of rain, and soon. As soon as the thought of rain emerged in my head once more, a large drop fell from the skies and landed right in front of me. I looked at it in fascination, how it exploded upon impact with the ground and made a little circle where it was. Then its companions started to land beside it. More and more. Before I knew it it was pouring down, and I was soaking wet in no time at all. I had stopped walking without noticing when I saw that first droplet, and now moved my gaze up at the sky, finally.

What would it feel like, falling from the skies, joined by millions, no billions of others? Falling through the air, knowing that the end awaited all the way down here. How would it feel to merge with the others then, in puddles, ponds, rivers, or even the ocean? Would it be nice, being so close to each other? Would it be worth the pain of landing upon such a hard world? Was that what it was.. to be close to someone? Sharing the pain?

With a downpour like this, it was almost as if the earth and the sky was merged together by millions of super fine strings. That thought made me think of my Mother. Were we connected, somehow, through the billions of little droplets? Believing so made me smile, and then laugh as I started running in the rain, jump in puddles on my way, the deeper, the better. HE would never approve of this unladylike behavior, and it made it all the more fun. SHE would laugh at me. Giggle, and call me silly, but let me do as I pleased.

For now I felt closer to her through the million tears from the skies that made earth and heaven one, and for that I would do anything to make her laugh. My mother deserved to laugh, after all.

A sound made me stop again though. The sound of.. a train. I looked behind me, and sure enough, there it was, approaching rapidly, its destination right through me where I stood in the middle of its path. It hooted, the driver clearly aware that I was there, but not about to stop when I just as easily could move aside. Easier, really. But I stood still, legs firmly planted into the ground. If I was hit by a train, would that resemble the impact a raindrop experienced as it landed on the ground?

If I just stood here, the train would undoubtedly hit the target, and I would undoubtedly end. My blood would leave me, seep into puddles and merge with the thousands of drops that had already become one. Then, at last, I would be one of many, instead of one standing by many. The path to my mother was already open. All it required.. was standing here. It was that simple. I didn't need to do anything at all. The train hooted again, approaching so very very fast. 10 seconds. It looked so much faster from where I stood compared to when I had been sitting in it. 5 seconds. Four. Three.. two...

My mothers face appeared before me, almost as she was really there, her face seeming.. sad. I moved out of the way just as the train came upon me, just managed avoiding the collision between the two of us. The wind blew my hair back as wagon after wagon passed screeching over the rails I had been balancing on. Even after the train had passed, I remained seated on the wet ground, staring ahead with wide eyes. What was that exactly? Had I..?

Soon the cold started to catch up on me, so I hauled myself up on my feet, started walking by the tracks once more. As the minutes passed some of my former good returned, and I took to balancing on the tracks again. I did not encounter any more trains before I arrived in Magnolia.

* * *

By the time I arrived at Magnolia station, however, some of the joy of the rain HAD left me, slowly giving way for hypothermia. I guess I should've thought about the fact that I owned nothing except what I had on my body, and that really wasn't all that much. A pair of shorts, some boots that were all but waterproof, though soaking wet like the rest of me at the moment, and that black t-shirt of mine that was decorated with a bright yellow star. Oh, and my keys. They could hardly be forgotten. I still danced along the trap, humming on some unknown melody while a smile played in the corner of my mouth. I ascended onto the actual platform and shook my hair, much like a wet cat, and without it helping me much.

I saw him then, Natsu Dragneel, the idiot with the scarf, sleeping on a bench at that station. It was early-ish, as in not so early that it would be dark, but not quite the hour when anyone would be at the station. No trains where scheduled to arrive anytime soon, so I wondered what the boy was doing here. Slowly I made my way over, bowed down so our heads were somewhat on the same level, studied his peaceful sleeping face. For being a damaged kid he surely didn't look like it, at least not at the moment.

"Ah, he's been here all morning, that poor kid." a voice called, and I turned to see the ticket lady give me a warm smile. I had bought my train ticket with her last night. A nice lady, a bit chubby but in a way that suited her. She could be placed around forty, perhaps fifty years of age, and had dark brown hair. She wore a ticket-hat, if there was anything called that at all, and a matching uniform to go with it, complete with a business-ish skirt that reached just below her knees. Blue. A lot of uniforms were blue, really. I righted myself up, smiled back and tilted my head slightly to the side.

"Do you know why he's here?" I asked, since she was likely to know,m the woman. Ticket ladies often knew quite a bit about quite a lot, especially in semi-small stations such as this one.

"He said something about waiting for someone named Luigi," the woman replied, and I sent the boy a look. Who was Luigi? I hadn't heard of anyone named that at the guild. Had this Luigi been on some mission of sorts, perhaps.

"I'm pretty sure he meant Lucy, though, the newest member of Fairy Tail. That'd be you, I'm pretty certain," the woman added, and I turned back to her, looking at her and wondering how..?

"News travels fast in this town, darling, especially when concerning that guild. You ought to wake up that boy and get the two of you somewhere warm soon, 'cause I get cold just looking at you." she sent me a another smile and then returned to her ticket booth. I guess.. she was right. Any more time spent in my current condition and I would find myself with pneumonia in no time at all. So I leaned forward once more, my head on an equal level as his.

"Natsu. Oi, Natsu. I'm back. Mama says hi," I said. No response. Ugh. Heavy sleeper, eh? I moved a hand in front of his face. Flickered his forehead. As if hit by a jolt of lightning he got up so fast I stumbled backwards and landed on my butt. Not that it mattered, I was so full of mud already that some dust from the ground hardly mattered.

"WHA.. Oh." he spotted me on the ground, eased up his battle stance and reached out a hand for me instead. I took it, and he yanked me to my feet. He didn't stop there though, just took hold of my waist and lifted me over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes, and he did it with such ease I'd almost thought I weighed next to nothing. He held my legs in place firmly, my head and upper body hanging over his shoulder.

"HEY! What do you think you're DOING!?" I yelled out in protest, but he merely started walking instead.

"Mira almost killed me this morning, you know, when I told her you went off on your own." he merely said, stopped for a moment at the entrance of the station when he noticed the bad weather. Only for a moment though, before he set off running for the guild. Man, could he run. The world flew by so swiftly, and I had no time at all to protest any more before we found ourselves within the halls of Fairy Tail. There he put me down firmly, sent me an unsmiling and a bit annoyed glance before he headed for the bar.

"There. I brought her back." he declared, and I stood in the entrance, soaked to the bone and the center of everyones attention. It made me want to run again. Run and hide far away where no one would be looking. Had it really been the best choice to step aside when the train was about to run me over?

"Oh, you POOR POOR thing! You must be freezing, come here," Mira was upon me in an instant, all drinks and patrons forgotten as she dragged me into a shower room, stripped me down and shoved me into a scorching hot shower to warm up while she found me something warm not to speak of DRY clothing to wear while the ones I had been wearing were sent off to be washed and dried. I felt somewhat assaulted. Kidnapped at the train station, robbed of my clothes and forced to wash up. The only thing missing now would be me being sold off to the highest bidder at some slavers market.

* * *

I emerged clean, warm, and dressed in long, black sweatpants and a grey singlet. It made me feel funny being dressed like this, but it wasn't like I had a choice or anything. It was this, or coming out naked. And if I came out naked, I would most likely be ushered off somewhere else again. So really, I didn't have much of a choice.

"There you are. You must be starving. Come here, I'll prepare something for you. What do you like," Mira was by my side the instant I came out of the shower room, ushered me off to the bar area where I sat down.

"Uhm. I'm sort of.. broke." I muttered, didn't look her in the eyes. Perhaps had that been another reason as to why I had chosen to walk rather than take the train.

"That doesn't matter. I'll put it on your tab, so what.."

"No." I protested then, cut the silver-haired beauty off. No debt. I would NOT acquire debt.

"I think I'll rather go on a job. I need some money anyways, for different stuff." I got up, was about to walk over to the mission board when a hand held me back by grabbing mine.

"I'll pay for her meal. Put it on my tab," the voice of Natsu declared, and I sent him a look.

"Only paying you back for the meal in Hargeon." he said, looked away. Mirajane squealed. What.. just happened?

"Okay, so now when that's taken care of, what do you want, Lucy?" she turned to me, and I.. hesitated. Technically he DID owe me a meal, but.. I felt scared, all of a sudden. Scared that I would be rejected. Scared that I wouldn't get rejected, only to... BOOM. The doors to the guild opened with great force. They seemed to be doing that quite often, so not too many of the guild really paid much attention to it. I however, still jumped a bit and looked at the entrance where three men in black suits entered.

"Lucy." one of them stated simply, and I felt myself pale.

"What?" I asked, my voice shrilling. Damn. What NOW?! The man that had uttered my name was before me in five large strides, and the moment later the hall reflected the sound as he slapped me in the face so hard I almost got beaten to the floor. Silence followed, and I forced my gaze back on the man that so openly had assaulted me.

"That is no way for you to speak to me," the man said in his strict voice.

"I am not inclined to speak to you at all. So. What does he want?" I asked in a cold voice, trembling with the treacherous tears that threatened to spill over had I not held them back. I knew that HE wanted something.

"HE wishes to see you." the man said, and though it sounded like a mere wish, I knew that it was nothing of the sort. HE was only steps from DEMANDING my presence, and the only reason I knew that he didn't demand it already would be that these men had yet to haul me along against my will.

"I refuse." I said lowly.

"What?" he said, his voice threatening. I took a shaky breath.

"I said. I REFUSE. Now leave." I demanded. The man seemed to be ready to strike me again, and I sensed Natsu shifting in his position next to me. The man sensed it too, and lowered his hand.

"As you wish, but as soon as he receives these news I can not account for any further action he takes." he said, his voice hard. I sent him a glare.

"Who do you think knows him better? YOU, or ME?" I said, and he nodded, left with his two companions. Finally I dared let my hand stroke over the injured cheek. That would leave a bruise. That would DEFINITELY leave a bruise. And HE wanted something. Great. Another suitor, perhaps? The silence prolonged after their departure, before finally someone dared to speak up.

"What was that about?" Master asked. He had, without me noticing, moved behind me, and now looked at me with serious eyes. Had I seen Master before? Oh yeah. Briefly upon my arrival.

"That was nothing. Just.. some people I know." I said, finally headed for the notice board. I stood there for some time, staring ahead, not really reading any of the requests. It wasn't before everything went blurry that I realized that I had stopped holding the tears at bay. They now flowed down freely, making my shoulders shake ever so slightly and wetting the floor beneath me. I swallowed a sob, tried stopping them, but it was really too late to hold it back now. I was scared. Scared because these people had seen this display and now might end up asking unwanted question. And scared because of HIM. For he was back, and HE knew where I was.

"So.. what kind of mission are you looking for?" Natsu asked. He had walked over to the board as well, stiffened slightly when he saw my tears but otherwise acted as if nothing was wrong. I didn't know what mission I wanted. I just wanted to get out of here. Far away, away from everything that was threatening and scary. From the suffocating grasp HE had over me.

But I couldn't do that. Not yet. I was Lucy of Fairy Tail, at least for now. That was why I dared oppose him this time around. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and forced the tears back, back into the darkness deep within. They could come out later, when I was alone, but not now. So I opened my eyes, dried away the tears, and took a good look at the missions before me. I found one, a seemingly simple one. Even better yet, the starting point was in Acalypha. Then I plastered a smile on my face, filled my mind with another bout of determination and returned to Mira. It would be visible, the trace of my tears, but I ignored the look she sent me, handed the request to Master instead. He approved, and I left.

Through the doors. Out into the rain. The rain that had made me giggle and laugh only hours prior. How much things could change in the manners of minutes.

"So, what's this mission about?" Natsu asked, suddenly by my side, that cat of his landing on my head. Still silent, but at least he acknowledged my existence now.

"Helping an old lady move out. It'll only be lifting some boxes around, I guess, so it'll be done in a few hours." I replied.

"Sweet! There's this new restaurant I've been dying to try out!" he declared, and I stopped suddenly.

"You're not coming." I said, not even bothering to smile. He had his hands on the back of his head, his elbows elevated into the air.

"Who said you had a say in this?" he asked, not seemingly caring.

"I do, since I picked the mission for me!" I said, pointing at me to make my point clear.

"Who said I had a say, then? Look, I don't like you,and you don't like me, but Mira almost killed me for not bringing you home yesterday like she said, and she seems absolutely certain that you don't got a place to stay, so I'm here to make certain you get home or whatever tonight." he said, and started walking again. I followed, slightly surprised by that speech of his.

"Wait, you don't like me?" I asked.

"Nope."

"... Why not?"

"You smile too much," he declared then.

"And that is a bad thing?" I asked.

"It is when you don't mean it. Why DO you smile so much anyways?"

"Wh says I don't mean it?"

"I do. You were crying earlier, then pretended it didn't happen."

"So?"

"People don't smile when they're not alright."

"I do."

"I know. It's annoying. Why do you do it?"

"If I smile people don't ask me if I'm alright." answered then, truthfully since he didn't seem to give up on that question. He looked at me again, his eyes searching my face.

"And what's wrong with people asking that?"

"I don't like it." I replied.

"Well, I don't like you." he said back.

"I think we already established that." I said.

"You're weird." Happy the cat put in, and I looked up.

"Says the blue flying cat. I don't think you can just go off calling others weird."

"HEY, be nice to Happy."

"HE started it."

"Well YOU continued it!"

"Lovers quarrel?" asked the ticket lady, and I noticed we had already entered the train station.

"WE ARE NOT LOVERS!" we said in unison then, and the ticket lady put her hands up and just smiled.

"I don't have money for the train, so I'm walking." I said just as Natsu took his wallet up, and he stiffened, looked at me.

"WHAT did you say?" he asked.

"I'm walking." I repeated. Then, suddenly, his eyes lit up.

"You're WILLING to walk?" he asked, and I nodded. Oh yeah. He DID have that compulsion against any kind of transportation.

"THANK YOU!" he declared, and like that, we headed for the tracks, and I would have several more hours of walking ahead of me, back to Acalypha. Now I only needed to somehow come up with an idea as to where I supposedly lived. Suddenly, shortly after we had started our journey, but after all of us had long since become soaking wet, I started laughing.

"What're you laughing at?" Natsu asked with suspicion in his voice. I just looked at him.

"You're only the second one to ever tell me you disliked me," I said. It was a weird thing to be laughing at, but it was simply hilarious.

"And that is funny HOW?" he asked. I stared at the sky then, the falling rain and the churning clouds.

"You said it as if it was the most normal thing in the world, and spoke out truthfully without even flinching," I said.

"So?" he asked.

"You're brave," I declared then, smiled at him, somewhat truthfully this time around. It was praise, kind of. Then I let the smile fade. Pretending around him had no use anyways. He disliked me. There was no use in trying to stay on his good side.

"I.. on the other hand, I'm a coward." I continued, a sad smile in the corner of my mouth. A coward that wants to run. That wants to hide.

"Sure doesn't seem like it, the way you spoke to that man earlier." he said after a while, and I looked at him.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I had spoken, yes, but words were just mere words, and I had been so scared. So terrified.

"You seemed frightened like hell, but you still stared him straight in the eyes and spoke up to him. Being brave isn't about not being scared. Being brave is about being scared but not running away." he said, looking serious and once more, completely honest. I didn't think the boy was even remotely capable of ever telling a lie.

"You don't seem like a person that gets scared of ANYTHING though," I said back, and a wide grin spread across his face.

"That's because I'm awesome," he said,

"Aye sir!" the cat put in, resting on the head of his partner this time around. I stopped, and so did he. Suddenly I started laughing loudly. The stress of today seemed to be getting to me, and I think I might be having a minor breakdown. He just seemed so proud as he uttered that sentence. It was hilarious.

"You look so sure of yourself, it's.. " I had tears in my eyes, had to stop talking as the laughter took complete hold of my body so I had to clutch my stomach as it cramped up due to the effort. Suddenly the slippery ground decided to betray me, and with a swoosh I fell into the mud, covering myself completely with dirt. Now he started laughing too, pointing at me as the laughter from the both of us echoed through the silent rain. We were alone, in the pouring rain, only accompanied by mud and grass, and of course, Happy the cat. I slipped again as I tried getting up, and Natsu only laughed harder because of it.

"Why you.." I muttered, managed to leap from my position on all fours, successfully bringing the Dragon Slayer to the ground where we both basked around for a bit, swearing and laughing and keeping the other from getting up. What finally made us stop was the sudden silence as the heavens decided to cease its downpour. We sat in the mud, filthy and wet, staring at the sky as the clouds started to break up, giving way for rays from the sun existing somewhere up there.

"I.. don't have a change of clothes..." I admitted after a while of silence, still staring at the sky without looking at the being next to me.

"You can borrow some of mine when we get to Acalypha." he replied. I muttered a thank you and then got up, finally succeeding this time. Then I managed to get my wet self into the railroad-tracks where the mud was less dominating, and when Natsu had done the same we started walking again.

"I still don't like you, you know," he said.

"Shut up." I replied, but a soft smile played in the corner of my mouth. I didn't quite manage to banish it, so I let it be there as we kept walking. Well, the lady would be getting quite the surprise when we got there, all dirty and soaked as we were.

I think.. I think I just made a friend, Mama. Doesn't that make you proud? And I also managed to not run away today. Things sure are changing.

Soon the sun shone down upon us, and Acalypha was in sight.


End file.
